Have you noticed artichokes in the produce section at the store? Well, most artichokes come from California and they are in season in July. Artichokes are the official vegetable of California and a member of the thistle family. The part we eat, the artichoke heart, is the bud of the plant. With fresh in season artichokes, the bud is a beautiful purplish-blue color located at the bottom of the bulb.

When preparing artichokes, cook the whole bulb. On the way to the heart,don't forget to slip off each leaf and one by one. Enjoy the nutty flavor by pulling the pulp off the bottom of the leaf with your teeth. They are a fun finger food for children.

This vegetable is fun to eat and also provides health benefits like vitamin C, folate and potassium. It's low in sodium, fat-free and a delight at only 25 calories!

To store artichokes: keep them refrigerated and wait to wash just before using.

To prepare, wash under cold running water. Pull off lower petals and cut stem. Slice off top quarter and trim sharp petal tips. Dip in water with lemon juice (1 fresh squeezed lemon per quart) to retain color.

There are several cooking methods for Artichokes. Boil in salt water, reduce heat and simmer 25 - 40 minutes or until the petals near the center pull out easily. Drain excess water by inverting the artichoke on a clean paper towel. Another popular method is steaming. Place on a rack over 1½ inches boiling water. Sprinkle generously and salt. Cover and cook 25 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness as above.

Try the recipe below for grilled artichokes, season with fresh squeezed lemon, olive oil and parmesan cheese.

Grilled Artichokes

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon
• 3-4 artichokes
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Fill large pot three-quarters full with water; add the juice of 1 lemon.
2. Place artichokes stem-end-up in the water.
3. Cover, bring to a boil and cook until the stem and base are almost tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes for medium artichokes, 15 to 20 minutes for jumbo-size artichokes.
4. Remove from the water and let cool while you preheat a grill to medium.
5. Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise; scoop out the choke and first few inner leaves.
6. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Grill until tender and lightly charred, about 5 minutes per side.

Enjoy!